Yi Yi
WinStar Cinema | Release Date: October 6, 2000
8.4
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 97 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
83
Mixed:
7
Negative:
7
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
joomjim4Jun 18, 2012
"The Bible" in the world of film. So many things went wrong in the story of this movie but not a thing that has went wrong in this precious achievement from Edward Yang. The film examines the complexity of the universal themes of guilt and"The Bible" in the world of film. So many things went wrong in the story of this movie but not a thing that has went wrong in this precious achievement from Edward Yang. The film examines the complexity of the universal themes of guilt and loneliness that "every" human has to face. Life is simple, but it is the profundity that truly constructs the beauty of our life. There might not be something as "future" but only the past- as a lesson and the present to study, tomorrow is only there..waiting to be present time. YiYi A One And A Two is a film full of emotions of our daily life. It reflects those most ordinary circumstances and successfully doubled the meanings and importance through the image which shows the side that ourselves would not be able to confront or even realize. The film that has changed my whole perspective of life.… Expand
3 of 3 users found this helpful30
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3
SohyunW.Nov 12, 2006
After my first viewing, I was hesitant to give it a bad review. Maybe I missed something? But after my first viewing, this is what I came up with: It is very predictable. All the situations were not creative. I can think of real modern day After my first viewing, I was hesitant to give it a bad review. Maybe I missed something? But after my first viewing, this is what I came up with: It is very predictable. All the situations were not creative. I can think of real modern day situations more complex and interesting than the ones in the movie. Scene opens with Wedding and characters "build" their personality into already familiar "yawn..." ones to me. Maybe I had overdose of Asian drama. After the second viewing and third viewing, I was trying to understand why such a non creative storyline about an Asian family is so "delicate.... an intriguing investigation on the entire melody of life." After the fourth view, I realized some people like boring, predictable storylines. They like what is known to them, and don't bother to look for something that makes you think about family stages and struggles!!!… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful
8
KimWFeb 6, 2009
I watched this movie in chunks in a Chinese class. Overall, it is a wonderfully moving movie. As a teenager, I find this movie a bit slow. This movie may be too slow for most teenagers used to action movies like Dark Knight. The stories of I watched this movie in chunks in a Chinese class. Overall, it is a wonderfully moving movie. As a teenager, I find this movie a bit slow. This movie may be too slow for most teenagers used to action movies like Dark Knight. The stories of the different family members are common, but unique to each of them. It captures all parts of life, and has the most adorable little boy being the curious and wise little kid. I do find that some of the questions asked in the movie a little "forced", and Yang was maybe trying to be too deep. All in all, a great movie. If anything, watch the very last scene.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
NachoCAug 8, 2009
(Yi Yi, or One and Two) is one of the best films I have ever seen. Took me two sittings; not because of its 178 minute running time but for the sheer epic vision it has on real life. Actual life.
1 of 2 users found this helpful
1
MichaelS.Feb 24, 2006
Slow. Drab. Melodramatic. The stuff of soap operas condensed into a lugubrious mess of a movie. The occasional flash of brilliance in scene setting is wasted on dull, occasionally emotionally manipulative (but strangely uncompelling) storytelling.
0 of 2 users found this helpful
10
JeffC.Sep 23, 2007
Nicest movie I've seen in years. Very real, very human and interesting.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
10
PatrickD.Jun 3, 2006
One of the finest movies I have ever seen. If you get the chance, do not miss out.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
JimG.Jun 24, 2006
It took me at least three sittings to watch this movie. Though some suggest it "just" captures everyday life, I suggest it captures life justly--the complexity of each day of each character is as dense, shallow, intriguing, or boring as one It took me at least three sittings to watch this movie. Though some suggest it "just" captures everyday life, I suggest it captures life justly--the complexity of each day of each character is as dense, shallow, intriguing, or boring as one wants to make it. Maybe that explains why the ratings here are 1's and 10's. How many viewers does it take to be changed? Just one. But the viewer has to want to change.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
DaveR.Apr 6, 2006
A dull, slow, amateurish soap opera. Had it been set in Cleveland rather than Taiwan, the critics would have mauled it.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MarkBSep 26, 2006
What a nice surprise to see that my favorite movie of all time is high on the metacritic all-time DVD list! Rent this when you want to watch an excellent, beautiful movie. It's about life in the modern world: human motivations, What a nice surprise to see that my favorite movie of all time is high on the metacritic all-time DVD list! Rent this when you want to watch an excellent, beautiful movie. It's about life in the modern world: human motivations, childhood and adulthood, but especially about the beauty and pain of love that we experience throughout our lives. So many themes, so many great, quiet moments. Be warned that it is long, and not necessarily action-packed throughout, so don't watch if you're sleepy and/or have an unconvinced, not-really-into-it-but-I'll-give-it-a-shot watching partners. But I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes "thinky" movies, beautiful and creative cinematography, and natural, human characters. You won't regret it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JoshT.Sep 17, 2005
The best movie I've ever seen. Anyone who didn't like it, I'm sorry to say, probably didn't have the intellectual aptitude for it.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
KevinL.Feb 25, 2007
Most beautiful movie I've ever seen. The slow pace is perfect. The timing leaves so much to be said in your mind instead of on screen. The actions and emotions of the characters is wonderfully rendered by the actors, then colored by Most beautiful movie I've ever seen. The slow pace is perfect. The timing leaves so much to be said in your mind instead of on screen. The actions and emotions of the characters is wonderfully rendered by the actors, then colored by cinematography techniques and captured on film.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
MusicxxAddictedSep 6, 2013
A nice view on how life unfolds itself and how we're supposed to work ourselves through it, together. With the few happy and the sad moments this film doesn't excite you the way Hollywood does, but rather in a fashion that life does too. YanA nice view on how life unfolds itself and how we're supposed to work ourselves through it, together. With the few happy and the sad moments this film doesn't excite you the way Hollywood does, but rather in a fashion that life does too. Yan Yan was the driving force, for me, in this film. His innocence and simple logic shows that children are sometimes the wisest of all, you shouldn't forget who you are when you grow up and the world isn't more complicated than it pretends or others tell you. Even how people nowadays compare their lives to movies and try so hard to make it one, films like these remind us that art flows from life and concentrates it so it can give back to life. Live today, not tomorrow.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
10
siltsunriseApr 20, 2015
Yi yi is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is very solid, down to earth, human, real, and interesting. A mix of great small stories woven together about a family, really makes you care about every one of them. No flash, or hollywoodYi yi is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is very solid, down to earth, human, real, and interesting. A mix of great small stories woven together about a family, really makes you care about every one of them. No flash, or hollywood nonsense, just great filmmaking.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
9
EpicLadySpongeApr 30, 2016
Yi Yi, in my world, is another masterpiece to enjoy for any age for anyone anywhere they go. You'll pretty much love Yi Yi like another great movie out there.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
Tcurran2Mar 11, 2018
The word "masterpiece" is thrown around so often in our cultural milieau that it has become trite. Yi Yi is anything but that. In writing this review, I find myself struggling for the words to describe its profundity. Ernest Hemingway onceThe word "masterpiece" is thrown around so often in our cultural milieau that it has become trite. Yi Yi is anything but that. In writing this review, I find myself struggling for the words to describe its profundity. Ernest Hemingway once said that the hardest thing to do is to write "straight honest prose about human beings." Yi Yi doesn't write those words, it shows us with each forlorn character isolated in the frame, alone with their thoughts. Those thoughts consume them as they ponder their anxieties that come with their middle class existence - lover's quarrels, social ostracization, etc. Edward Yang's (this would be his final film before his death) use of vibrant contrasts in color are seemingly antithetical to the minimalist approach of Yasujiro Ozu, yet the film is reminiscent of the humanism that could be found in that master director's work, such as in Tokyo Story (1953). Divided only by age, the characters in this film all want for the same thing - life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. However, they cannot see how their shared experiences relate to one another. Their inner focus on the self is a product of an individualistic narcissism that permeates every aspect of modern society. But it's easy enough to try and interpret what Yang was trying to express. Harder still is it to look at those images, as it reflects our own experiences back onto us. In the end you'll weep. Not solely because the ending's emotional weight carries such an immense impact, but because you'll know that you have likely experienced what these characters have gown through, and didn't know how to express it. Yang has done it for you. You need only to watch - and learn.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
6
ahmedaiman1999Aug 7, 2019
With beautiful and expressive shots, sensitive and eloquent direction, incredible acting by all involved, and a plethora of brilliantly quotable lines, add to that the fact it's considered a "slice-of-life" film, Yi Yi really could have beenWith beautiful and expressive shots, sensitive and eloquent direction, incredible acting by all involved, and a plethora of brilliantly quotable lines, add to that the fact it's considered a "slice-of-life" film, Yi Yi really could have been easily one of my favourite films of all time. Alas, I can't even say that I liked it!

Two main reasons this film didn't resonate with me nearly as much as I expected are that: I didn't find the vast majority of the characters to be interesting, and I couldn't see why this is considered to be a slice-of-life film in the first place.

The only character I was almost constantly interested in is Yang-Yang. I found the relationship between N.J. and Sherry quite absorbing and engrossing as well as the scenes with N.J. and his Japanese friend; I can't say I really cared about the character of N.J. as I was supposed to be.

I couldn't care less about everything related to N.J.'s wife, teenage daughter, brother and business partners. Apart from one scene N.J.'s wife shares with N.J.'s mother that was a bit emotional, I found the film emotionally flat and almost fell asleep every time I see these above-mentioned characters. I found the story-line of Ting-Ting to be one of the most boring and uneventful I've seen in any film. Let alone the fact this film is 3 hours long!

A slice-of-life is a term used to describe a piece of art or literature that shows or depicts the ordinary details of real life. And I'm enamored of any film or novel that can be classified under this, so to speak, sub-genre. The thing is I couldn't see that Yi Yi fits this description. What I saw, in the first 30 minuted in particular, are many of uninteresting characters acting in an absurd way. I really couldn't see that this film has mundane real-life events as most people do.

(6.5/10)… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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9
MahmusSep 25, 2020
This is a movie that very slowly enters your heart.
At first I wasn't sure I was totally invested, but before I realised, I was overcome with emotion.
It gradually gives you little moments of pain and happiness that build up to a veryThis is a movie that very slowly enters your heart.
At first I wasn't sure I was totally invested, but before I realised, I was overcome with emotion.

It gradually gives you little moments of pain and happiness that build up to a very emotional conclusion.

It's three hours long and yet it never felt long. It was slow, but never boring.

My favorite scenes where the ones between NJ and Mr. Ota, the japanese bussinessman.
There's something incredible warm and comforting about their conversations that contrast greatly with the more painful relationships in this beautiful film.

I love it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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